Saturday, January 26, 2013

Mastering the Volleyball Back Set

Although fundamentally similar to the "normal" front set, back
setting causes problems for a lot of volleyball players. Here's a
breakdown of this useful skill.

Before
we dive into specifics, I want to stress that it's very important to
learn to back set. It gives you versatility and unpredictability when
you set. If you have to turn and face exactly where the ball is going,
you're not going to be fooling any blockers, and you're going to be
severely limited in your choice of hitters.
So, take a deep breath, and learn to back set.First, the Differences Between Front and Back Sets:

You'll be extending your hands and arms behind your head instead of forward

Your hips will push forward slightly and your back will arch slightly to direct the ball backwards

You need less leg strength because generally you don't have to push
the ball out as far as with an outside set, but you will need a higher
arch to give the right side hitter time for an approach.

And Now, the Similarities:

Hand positioning is the same when you receive the ball

Footwork is identical, but you have to watch out for over rotating your hips and setting the ball over the net

Hands and arms still extend outwards, just behind your head

So
now that we've done the helpful compare/contrast breakdown, what does
this mean for your setting skills? Like most of the skills that get
covered here on Volleyball-Life.com, your best bet for learning to be an
outstanding back setter is practice, practice, practice.
If
you're blessed with a plethora of balls and a friend or two, have
someone toss you a ball while you stand in the target area and set to a
second person or a target (ball buckets work well) located about a foot
from the net and right at the outer court boundary behind the setter. At
first it'll be best for you to turn and look at your set's final
destination, but don't do so until you've completed the motion of
setting or it'll throw of the direction completely.
Work hard and
you'll be rewarded. There are few things more gratifying than hearing a
blocker swearing under their breath because they thought you were
setting outside - and that's where they're standing - but the ball is
soaring toward the right side hitter.